Home School, in association with Ulster Bank, is a six-part series that guides you through the process of buying a house for the first time. Let's be honest; getting on the property ladder can be daunting. Home School, presented by first-time buyer and entertainment.ie's Brian Lloyd, will demystify the home buying process and help first-time buyers not feel so overwhelmed with the process. 

One of the challenges of buying a home for the first time can be dealing with the legal aspects of it.

After all, buying a home will most likely be the biggest purchase you'll ever make, not to mention it being one of the most complex. When it comes to this, jargon is a huge part of what makes it all seem so convoluted and can make it seem more challenging than it really is.

That's why I went straight to Tom O'Hare of O'Hare O'Dwyer Solicitors in Sutton, Co. Dublin, who talked me through the terms and the legalese that goes into buying a home. As I discovered, one of the main things to remember is that when talking to a solicitor with regards to buying a home, there are no silly questions. I didn't even understand why a solicitor was involved in buying a house in the first place!

After all, unless you're involved in the legal profession in your day-to-day work, it's not expected for you to know each and every detail of it.

The next thing I learned was that, whenever possible, bring a solicitor into the process as soon as possible as they're there to look out for and protect your interests. It can be something as simple as raising potential issues or discovering aspects of the property that may not be immediately clear when you're buying.

Again, it's a solicitor's job to go through the finer details of a property and their responsibility is to you.

One of the main takeaways from my chat with Tom was that when it comes to the process of buying a home for the first time, the timelines can vary. There's often so many myths surrounding this part of the process, but Tom was able to help me better understand the legal side of the home buying journey, and I felt much clearer about any issues that could arise. Most oftentimes, the process can take between six to eight weeks, from the contracts being signed to the day you pick up the keys and begin the process of moving in.

Before then, you'll need to talk to someone about a mortgage - and that's where Ulster Bank can help. Request a call back to discuss the right mortgage for you at ulsterbank.ie.

Ulster Bank Ireland DAC is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.